Talking General Practice

This week on the podcast Emma and Nick are talking about some new figures showing there has been a surge in vacant GP posts in London, which has left half of the capital’s practices operating with fewer doctors than they need when demand is at an all time high.They also discuss what the RCGP believes needs to happen to boost GP retention and what the latest NHS appointments data tells us about levels of workload in general practice in England. Plus they look at NHS England’s plans to help boost capacity this winter and the BMA’s decision to ballot junior doctors on industrial action.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and news editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful links●     London faces growing GP workforce gap as workload continues to soar●     Government must take 'urgent action' on GP retention, says RCGP●     GP workload far beyond pre-pandemic level as winter pressure looms●     Coffey targets rapid GP access over face-to-face appointments●     NHS sets out priorities for extra GP funding this winter●     PCN contract overhaul defers two-week appointment target until April 2023●     Junior doctors to be balloted on industrial action in early January  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the podcast Emma speaks to Dr Helen Garr, the medical director of NHS Practitioner Health, the NHS service that looks after doctors and dentists - and also other NHS staff - who are experiencing mental ill health.In this conversation Emma and Helen talk about the impact that pressures on the NHS are having on doctors’ wellbeing and how this is affecting GPs in particular.Helen also explains what doctors and other NHS staff can do if they are suffering from burnout, how to prevent burnout, what people can do if they are worried about a colleague and how NHS Practitioner Health supports doctors who seek help from the service.She also outlines how she thinks the NHS could change to help ensure better mental health for doctors and other staff. Trigger warning: This episode includes a discussion about suicide and the issue of suicide in the medical profession.There is lots of practical and useful advice in this conversation, so we’ve included some time stamps below if you want to go back and listen to bits again, or find specific things on your first listen.●     2.07 Helen explains the increase in the number of GPs coming to NHS Practitioner Health and the conditions they are presenting with.●     4.41 Helen discusses suicide in doctors and explains why doctors are at higher risk of suicide.●     11.12 The impact of a doctor’s suicide on colleagues and what people should do if they are concerned about a colleague’s mental health.●     15.16 Steps practices can take to make the working environment more supportive.●     17.55 Warning signs of burnout.●     21.36 What to do if you are burnt out.●     24.55 What can you do to prevent burn out.●     30.10 How the NHS needs to change to better support doctors and staff.●     33.37 What happens when a doctor contacts NHS Practitioner Health and how the service can help.●     39.11 How staff other than doctors can access NHS Practitioner Health.Useful resources●     NHS Practitioner Health●     Looking After You Too (NHS England’s free coaching programme for primary care staff)●     Where can GPs get help and support if they are struggling to cope? (Free access article on GPonline that contains a list of all organisations that offer support to doctors experiencing mental ill health)●     Wellbeing and Coping (website Helen refers to in the interview as ‘wellbeing and doing’)●     GPs tell how coaching helped them manage practices during COVID-19 (article on GPonline about the Looking After You Too programme) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the team discusses the government’s latest push to improve access in general practice and some of the problems with the plans. They look at a groundbreaking new system that is being piloted in Devon, which will see work paused for practices facing extreme workload pressures. GP leaders have suggested the system could be rolled out nationwide within a year.And they talk about what plans to cap energy costs could mean for practices and what doctors say the government needs to do to address the workload and workforce crises in general practice.This episode is presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and news editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful links●     Practices face two-week access target with 300 fewer GPs than last year●     Government unveils two-week access target for GP appointments●     GPs agree groundbreaking system to pause work for practices facing extreme pressure●     Practices could see energy costs slashed as government unveils business price cap●     'This job is making us ill': Coffey told 16m patients could lose their GP  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emma speaks with Dr Veronica Grant, a GP in Derbyshire who was until recently the RCGP clinical champion for veterans health, about the healthcare needs of veterans and steps practices can take to better support veterans and military families.This is an interview that was recorded in November 2021.Since we recorded our last podcast we have seen the very sad news about the death of Queen Elizabeth.As the former head of the armed forces, the Queen is of particular significance to those who are members of the services and veterans.NHS England this week wrote to NHS services and highlighted that the death of the Queen had the potential to trigger mental health issues within the armed forces community. NHS England asked services to familiarise themselves with referral pathways to Op COURAGE, the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service that is available across England for serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists and veterans.At GPonline we thought it would be particularly useful for those in primary care to hear our interview with Veronica again in light of this. As well as talking about how GPs and practices can support veterans and military families, Veronica also explains a bit more about Op COURAGE and how the service works.Useful links●     RCGP veterans’ healthcare toolkit learning●     Veteran friendly practice accreditation●     Information about Op COURAGE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our regular news review is back. This week Emma and Nick talk about soaring energy costs and rising inflation and the impact these could have on GP practicesThey also look at what new prime minister Liz Truss and new health and social care secretary Therese Coffey could mean for general practice – and whether the government could prevent a possible crisis in the health service this winter.And in our regular good news spot they highlight an initiative from a group of GP trainees that puts forward a blueprint for tackling the crisis in general practice.This episode is presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower who is joined by our news editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Useful links●     Practices could cut staff, stop COVID-19 jabs or hand back contracts as energy bills rocket●     GP practices 'being mugged' as profits set to slump by a third●     What does a Liz Truss premiership mean for general practice?●     Therese Coffey rules out GP visit fees and promises to 'stand up for patients' on access●     Nine in ten GPs fear their practice will struggle to cope this winter●     GP trainees set out vision to lift general practice from crisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout August we’ve been showcasing some of the best interviews from series one of the podcast.This week Emma talks to Dr Rebecca Rosen, a GP in London and senior fellow at health think tank the Nuffield Trust, about continuity of care, the evidence to support it and steps practices can take to embed continuity of care in the way they work. This interview was recorded in October 2021.Since this was recorded we’ve written quite a lot about continuity of care on GPonline. The House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee is currently running an inquiry into the future of general practice and the benefits of continuity of care and what the NHS can do to promote continuity have been one of its themes. Dr Rosen gave evidence to the committee about the work she’s done in her practice.The RCGP has also stepped up efforts to promote what it calls relationship-based care and highlight its importance in general practice. The college has produced a new report looking at what’s needed to help practices deliver relationship-based care and continuity (link below).This episode is presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Series 3 of Talking General Practice begins on 9 September.Useful linksRCGP work on relationship-based careGP crisis endangering continuity and quality of patient care, warns RCGP chairGP access debate must shift to emphasise quality as well as speed, warns RCGPImproving access and continuity in general practice - a 2018 Nuffield Trust report Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout August we’re showcasing some of the best interviews from series one of the podcast.This week Emma speaks with Dr Carey Lunan, a GP in Edinburgh and chair of the Deep End GP Group in Scotland, and Dr David Blane a GP in Glasgow and clinical research fellow in General Practice, University of Glasgow, who is the academic lead of the Deep End GP Group, in an interview that was recorded in August 2021. The Deep End Group covers the 100 most deprived practices in Scotland and the discussion highlights what the group is doing to tackle health inequalities, the impact of COVID-19 and what other practices can learn from their work. This episode is presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Series 3 of Talking General Practice begins on 9 September. Useful linksMIMS Learning free health inequalities webinar featuring Dr Carey Lunan https://www.mimslearning.co.uk/courses/health-inequalities-in-primary-careThe Deep End Project https://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/healthwellbeing/research/generalpractice/deepend/Fair Health https://fairhealth.org.uk/GP funding formula 'needs reworking' to target inequalities, warns RCGPGovernment's slow COVID-19 response worsened health inequalities, warns BMA Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout August we’re showcasing some of the best interviews from series one of the podcast.This week Emma is talking to GP and menopause expert Dr Louise Newson, in an interview that was recorded in September 2021.Louise discusses how we can improve menopause care and education for doctors and other health professionals. She also explains how her career led her to becoming one of the UK’s most recognisable experts on the menopause and the new charity - The Menopause Charity - which she launched in 2021.This episode is presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Series 3 of Talking General Practice begins on 9 September.Useful linksConfidence in the Menopause (free training for healthcare professionals)The Menopause CharityPractical advice for GPs on prescribing HRT - an article by Dr Louise Newson and Dr Olivia Jones on GPonlineOur sister site MIMS Learning has the following learning modules on the menopause:●     Genitourinary syndrome of menopause●     NICE guidelines on the menopause - by Dr Louise Newson and Dr Rebecca Lewis●     Menopause and migraine - by Dr Louise Newson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout August we’re bringing you some of the best interviews from series one of the podcast.This week, Emma is talking to GP Dr Amy Small about living with long COVID in an interview that was recorded in November 2021.Amy caught Covid right at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and went on to develop long COVID. In this conversation she explains how long COVID has affected her life, her family, and her job as a GP - and what she thinks needs to be done to improve services and support for other people affected by the condition.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.Series 3 of Talking General Practice begins on 9 September.Useful links How widespread is long COVID in the UK?Our sister site MIMS Learning has the following learning resources on long COVID●     Long COVID - tips for primary care - an on-demand webinar●     Long COVID and pain management - an on-demand webinar●     Guidance update: Long COVID assessment and management●     Neurological aspects of long COVID - an on-demand webinarA link to the book Dr Amy Small mentions (Amazon) Classic Pacing for a Better Life with ME Top tips: managing long COVID Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emma speaks with Dr Gemma Wilkinson, a GP in Nottingham and clinical lead for the Nottinghamshire GP Phoenix Programme, a workforce support organisation affiliated to Nottinghamshire LMC.The GP Phoenix Programme has a range of support programmes that focus on GP retention at every stage of a doctor’s career – from GP training, to newly-qualified GPs, through to mid-career and also those doctors approaching retirement.In this conversation Gemma explains the steps the GP Phoenix Programme is taking to improve retention, what other areas can learn from their initiatives and what more needs to be done to stop GPs leaving the profession early.This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.This summerTalking General Practice is taking a break for the summer. During August we will be putting out some of the interviews from the first series of the podcast as stand alone episodes for those of you who may have missed those or started listening to the podcast more recently. They cover some really interesting and important topics, which we think are worth showcasing again.We’ll be back for series 3 on 9 September. Useful linksGP Phoenix Programme induction materialsInformation for practice managers on employing a new to practice fellow - from the GP Phoenix Programme. And video explaining the same.Phoenix GP - a national career development and leadership programme for mid career GPs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.